times over in ordinary times. It is certain that he had to go to Paris to justify himself. Here, again, he had to face the privations and humiliations of extreme poverty. He owed fifteen francs to his wine erchant, and he had to pawn his watch. Bourrienne, his old college chum—afterwards his secretary—thus describes Napoleon at this period.
"Our friendship of childhood and college days," says Bourrienne," was as fresh as ever. I was not very happy; adversity weighed heavily upon him, and he often wanted money. We passed our time like two young men with nothing to do, and with but little money—he had even less than I. Every day gave birth to some new plans; we were always on the look-out for some useful speculation. At one time he wanted to hire with me several houses then being built in the Rue Montholon, intending to make money by sub-letting them."
The two comrades often dined together, Bour-rienne usually paying for the dinner—at least so Bourrienne says, though, as he became infamous for avarice and peculation, the statement must be taken with reserve. It is certain that sometimes poor Napoleon had to dine at a restaurant where a dish cost but a modest threepence.
While the future ruler of France was thus in the depths, France herself was marching through the terrific events that ended in the overthrow of the monarchy. Napoleon was never a democrat, but
